mashed potatoes meaning: definition, quotations

mashed potatoes

noun

A dish consisting of potatoes that have been boiled, mashed to a pulpy consistency, and mixed with such ingredients as butter or milk.

Mashed potatoes is (or are) my favorite starch dish.
McInerney says he has a “big dinner” to attend that evening, so he opts for onion soup and a Bibb salad, although he acquiesces when the waitress suggests some mashed potatoes on the side.2026 April 4, Jonathan Derbyshire, “Lunch with the FT: Jay McInerney”, in FT Weekend (Life & Arts section), London: The Financial Times Ltd., →ISSN, →OCLC, page 3:

Hobbies, Lifestyle, Skiing, Sports Partially melted snow with a pulpy texture, making for slow skiing.

During late-season skiing, I have encountered ice in the morning and mashed potatoes in the afternoon.19841 November, Richard C. Sailiant, “Ask Skiing [letter]”, in Skiing, page 38:
The Eastern ski tribe could confidently expect much ice underfoot while the Western contingent could expect much mashed potatoes around the ankles.1996 Spring-Summer, Morten Lund, “Skiing Down Those Golden Years with John Jay”, in Skiing Heritage Journal, page 7:

1 more example

I climbed back through the bottomless mashed potatoes as quickly as I could, relieved to see that his ski was off, with his foot pointing in a normal direction— not the skis’.2001 October 1, Paul Parker, Free-Heel Skiing: Telemark and Parallel Techniques for All Conditions, 3rd edition, Seattle: The Mountaineers Books, →ISBN, →OL, page 185:

Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see mash, potato.